The dig was started on the 12th September, and this was my first
visit to the site. Over the weeks the fallen entrance had been excavated with
the aid of mini diggers and lots of material had also been removed from within
the level, only a few sections remained to be cleared. With the removal of the
fall at the entrance, the level was also dewatered.
A timber shaft
collar had been constructed with a scaffold winching frame above it. On the day
of my visit, an old ore tub was removed from the level and brought out with the
aid of the mini digger pulling it via Student Pete's old caving rope. The tub
now stands in the chamber at the start of the level. When the tub was pulled
out into the chamber and located on the wooden rails, karli noticed that the
wheels had started to turn again.
The new spoil heap outside the level
entrance had been tidied up and a drainage channel for the level was dug out so
that the muddy slurry could drain away. Some of the leats crossing the site had
also been filled in with large deads from the level, to facilitate the 4x4's
crossing them. A nice BBQ lunch was provided by the Pete's, the BBQ was also a
welcome source of heat as the bitter North Pennines wind had picked up.
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